Peter Jackson Compares The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum to Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker: ‘You Have to Get Inside His Head’
Peter Jackson, who directed the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, has compared the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum to Joaquin Phoenix’s acclaimed 2019 film Joker, emphasizing how the new film will offer an intimate psychological perspective on its protagonist.
The Hunt for Gollum, directed by actor Andy Serkis who portrays Gollum, serves as a prequel to the original film trilogy. The story follows Aragorn as he tracks Gollum for years at Gandalf’s behest, working to prevent the dark lord Sauron from discovering the existence and significance of the One Ring.
In his remarks to IndieWire, Jackson explained that the film draws inspiration from Todd Phillips’ Joker, which explores the psychological transformation of Arthur Fleck from a neglected individual struggling with mental illness into something far darker. Similarly, The Hunt for Gollum promises to “get inside” Gollum’s head, examining his character from an internal, introspective perspective rather than an external narrative viewpoint.
This approach suggests the film will provide a deeper psychological exploration of Gollum’s character and internal state, potentially examining the corrupting influence of the One Ring. By adopting a character-focused narrative style reminiscent of Joker’s intimate portrayal of psychological transformation, Jackson indicates that The Hunt for Gollum will offer audiences a more nuanced and complex examination of one of Middle-earth’s most tragic figures.